Boris Becker thinks Alexander Zverev can definitely beat Novak Djokovic but for that to happen the German tennis star must “take the initiative” and not allow the Serb to run him around the court and be the one controlling the pace.
On Friday, the 27-year-old will be aiming to reach his maiden Australian Open final and his third Grand Slam final.
However, it is easier said than done considering that he is set to battle against the record 10-time Australian Open champion, who is also coming off a huge victory over Carlos Alcaraz.
Heading into the match, Djokovic leads the head-to-head 9-6 and he won their lone meeting at Melbourne Park in four sets in 2021.
Overall, the Serb has a 3-0 record against Zverev in their Slam matches.
“Sascha is playing a bit more offensively this year, closer to the baseline. That starts with his serve, but also has to include the return,” Becker told Eurosport.
“It’s important for the match against Novak that he sets the pace and takes the initiative. Because if Novak lets you run, then you have no chance.”
Alexander Zverev© Australian Open/Instagram – Fair Use
Becker to Zverev: Stick to your game and show your strengths
The German may have never beaten the Serb at the Slam level but he has had wins on the biggest stage – most notably, beat the current world No. 7 in the Tokyo Olympics semifinal and also won their finals at the Rome Masters and ATP Finals in 2018.
“Sascha has to stick to his game and show his strengths – his serve, his baseline strokes and his fitness. He mustn’t let himself be put off his game, whatever his opponent does,” the German tennis legend added.
Also, Becker mentioned that if the match goes five sets, that could be Zverev’s advantage since he is known as “a marathon man” while Djokovic “is no longer quite as strong as he was two or three years ago.”
It should be worth mentioning that the 37-year-old Serb dealt with a left leg injury during his match against Alcaraz so that will also be something to follow.
Tennis World USA